- sights
- Where to go with children
- Beaches
- Shopping
- Cafes, restaurants and nightlife
Dalian is a major tourist, financial and transport metropolis in China. It is located in the northeast of the country on the shores of the Yellow Sea. In 2006 it was named the best city in the country to live in. Dalian is often called the "pearl" of northeastern China. And this is absolutely true, because the city is so unlike all other megacities of the PRC. There is clean air, a huge amount of green spaces and flowers.
In summer, Chinese tourists flock to the beaches of Dalian and it becomes quite crowded on the coast, so September is considered the best time to visit the city, when the air and water have not cooled down yet, and the number of tourists has decreased significantly. Or May if you are sick of the intense heat. However, Dalian remains almost exclusively a Chinese resort, so it won't be easy without an interpreter or knowledge of the language.
Dalian has a rather interesting history. It was founded in 1898 by Russia under the name "Dalny" on the territories leased from China. The planning and development of Dalny was carried out according to the most modern plans and principles at that time, so the city quickly became one of the central cities of the region. After the Russo-Japanese War, the city passed to Japan, then the Soviet Union leased it as a Chinese port, and in 1950 the USSR donated the port to the Chinese side. At the end of the 20th century, a large-scale reconstruction of the city was carried out, thanks to which it became the greenest metropolis in China. The proximity to the sea has made it possible to acquire the status of a tourist center.
You can get here by plane (the city has an international airport). From the European part of Russia, the planes fly only with a transfer in Beijing, in the summer from Vladivostok direct flights to Dalian are opened. Alternatively, you can reach the city by train. For example, there is a high-speed train from Harbin.
The activities of Russia in the history of the city are now reminiscent of Russian Street, on which houses of the Russian period have been preserved. In addition, new houses in the pseudo-Russian style were built here. In one of the districts of Dalian, the remains of the famous Russian fortress Port Arthur have been preserved.
sights
It is very pleasant to walk around the city thanks to clean streets, wonderful air and abundance of greenery on the streets. Dalian abounds in various squares (there are more than 70 of them here). Among them, for example, Xinghai Square, recognized in 2010 as the largest square in Asia.
The city is divided into four main parts (quarters):
- the Xigan quarter, where government offices are concentrated;
- in the Shazhekou quarter there are higher educational institutions, campuses;
- the Zhongshan quarter is the "kingdom" of financial organizations, huge business centers are built here, and most of the attractions are located here;
- in the Ganjingzi quarter there is the already mentioned Xinghai Square and the airport.
See the Lushan TV Tower, the tallest building in the city. The observation deck at an altitude of 170 meters is visited not only by tourists, but also by the residents of Dalian themselves. The view of the city and the sea is absolutely fantastic. It is best to visit the site at sunset, when the horizon is still clearly visible, but the city has already turned on the night lights. There is a revolving restaurant at the top of the tower.
Walking through the numerous squares of the city, take a look at Druzhba Square, in the center of which there is a very interesting monument - a pearl ball. The ball is decorated with almost 8000 colored light bulbs, the color of which has a specific meaning. Red is wealth, yellow is fertility, green is hope. The ball supports five palms of different colors as a symbol of friendship between peoples. The sculpture looks great in the evening.
You should definitely visit Xinghai Square. It is the largest square in China, built in the shape of a star and decorated with 999 pieces of marble and 9 statues of the same mineral, symbolizing the unity of heaven and earth. The area covers an area of 1, 1 million square meters, which makes it truly gigantic. It was created in 1994 on the day of the return of Hong Kong to the sovereignty of China.
Park "Melody of the Sea" (Haizhiyun Park) is a great place to walk. The park is located on rocks above the water, offering wonderful views of the sea. There is a wooden path in the park, entered in the Guinness Book of Records - its length is 21 km. The main highlight of the park is huge sculptures of fish, sharks and other inhabitants of the underwater world embedded in the rocks. Despite the ambiguous decision, the sculptures are very organically woven into the landscape. Here you can take a good walk and take unique photos.
The remains of the Russian fortress Port Arthur and the Russian memorial cemetery are located in Dalian. The first thing that attracts attention is how carefully the Chinese treat the memory of the fallen Russian soldiers. Everything is very clean and well maintained. Port Arthur is one of the symbols of the fortress of the spirit of Russian sailors. During the Russo-Japanese War, the siege of the fortress lasted more than 11 months, provided that the Japanese troops used the latest types of weapons that were not in the Russian army.
Take a look at the Musical Square or Zhongshan Square, which covers an area of more than 2 hectares. This is the oldest square in the city, where buildings from the beginning of the 20th century have been preserved. The square is surrounded by office buildings, which are copies of outstanding business centers from around the world. A "/>
Where to go with children
A trip to Dalyan with children will be a great time to enjoy a family vacation. There are many places here that will be equally interesting for both children and adults.
- Dalian Oceanarium consists of three parts. The first was given to the inhabitants of the Arctic seas and penguins. In the second part, you can walk through an underwater tunnel with glass walls, various inhabitants of the seas will swim over your head. In the third part of the aquarium, performances of fur seals and dolphins are held.
- The Water Paradise water park covers an area of more than 8000 square meters and attracts with a huge number of water attractions.
- The Dalian Zoo is the best in China, featuring animals from all over the world. There are open pens, in which herbivores, for example, llamas, freely settled down. There is a separate corner where you can watch baby animals. The only difficulty is that all inscriptions and signs are made only in Chinese.
- Dalian also has its own "Disneyland" - a huge amusement park, which is actually called "Discovery Land". The park is located about an hour's drive from the city, but the trip pays off with a variety of attractions for children and adults. In the evenings, there is a parade and fireworks.
Beaches
Restaurants, cafes, markets and hotels are built near the city beaches of Dalian, in a word, all the infrastructure for a carefree vacation has been created. However, there are also more distant places. Here are some of Dalian's beaches:
- Xinghai. Quite a popular beach, located in the very center of the city, not far from the famous square, an aquarium and a water park. There are a small number of rides. The beach is free. There is a cafe, showers.
- Rakushka is a fairly popular beach and can be heavily loaded. The coastline is 500 meters. There are many bars, cafes and restaurants near the beach. The beach is free.
- "Golden Sand" is a private paid beach just outside the center. The beach is small, very cozy. A distinctive feature is the ability to rent a house right on the seashore.
- "Blue Lagoon" - a paid beach, prices are quite high, the audience is appropriate. There is an elite golf club nearby.
Shopping
A huge number of shopping centers are concentrated in the metropolis, where you can buy whatever your heart desires. Souvenirs worth paying attention to are marble figurines, jade sculptures, calligraphic scrolls and masks from the Chinese opera.
Let's note a few shopping centers:
- "Druzhba" - here you will find imported goods, including boutiques of exclusive brands, such as, for example, Armani.
- Tianjin Avenue is a street of various department stores, shops and souvenir stalls. This is the real shopping center of Dalian.
- "Park Pobedy" is an interesting shopping center located entirely underground near the park of the same name. This is the city's sales center.
Shopping enthusiasts should pay attention to the Dalian markets. These are, for example, the Central Market located at the railway station and the Bijing Jie Market. The markets offer an incredible amount of goods at very low prices.
Cafes, restaurants and nightlife
Generally, catering establishments are concentrated in the central part of the city. Chinese, European and Brazilian cuisines are popular here. Here are some of the interesting restaurants.
- The Wanbao Seafood Restaurant specializes in seafood and offers a very high level of service.
- Restaurants King Hans Barbecue and Matthew's Brazil Barbecue - Brazilian barbecue establishments.
- Yi Xin Barbecue serves Korean cuisine. Inexpensive restaurants with "home" cuisine are concentrated in the coastal strip.
When it comes to nightlife, there are two main areas of fun. The first is Sanba Square and Wuwu Street, where there are many nightclubs, bars, restaurants and karaoke bars. The second is Narodnaya Street, where light shows are held at night.
